Only the Best
by Sarah Kathleen
Summary: He only wanted the best for James. Jack's thoughts on Elizabeth's acceptance of Norrington's proposal. Warning: grumpy thoughts towards Elizabeth are in this.


Disclaimer: Don't own them. The end.  
  
Very Important Note: The last three vignettes in this little quartet are greatly influenced by the alternate and deleted scenes that can be seen on the DVD. Please keep that in mind. If you haven't seen said scenes, I suggest you see them before reading these. Or, if you don't want to, just have at it; read away, whatever. Oh! And there's a last bit on the end of this one that is purely a conversation that came from my imagination. Those of you who've seen the alternate/deleted scenes, you'll know which bit I'm talking about.  
  
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING DEDICATION  
  
This, like the previous vignette, is dedicated with kilotons of love and respect for Curtis Peralez. Please watch over everyone for me, Curtis, especially the girls (you know the six I'm talking about); I can't be everywhere at once.  
  
*  
  
"By remembering that I serve others, Mr. Sparrow. Not only myself."  
  
Now that stung. It really did. But Jack couldn't say that the Commodore didn't have a point. James had always been the one to do everything for someone other than himself. He had always been a self-sacrificing, morally-driven man, even when he was too young to know what self-sacrificing was.  
  
Elizabeth scurried after the officer, pleading, "Commodore, I beg you, please do this. For me." Jack could see where this was going all too well, and suddenly he couldn't see the blue-uniformed man before him as Commodore James A. Norrington of the British Royal Navy. No, the man was suddenly James Norrington, his brother by heart and soul if not by blood. And he didn't want to see his brother hurt.  
  
Too bad his brother had disowned him when he discovered that Jack had turned to piracy.  
  
"As a wedding gift."  
  
That got James' attention. Clearly he didn't entirely believe what he was hearing.  
  
"Elizabeth," the Swann said. "Are you accepting the Commodore's proposal?"  
  
At that moment, Jack wanted nothing more than to throw the wench overboard. This was fake, a ploy to get what she wanted, and the only one to get hurt in the end would be the innocent man who had committed no crime save falling in love with her.  
  
"I am."  
  
It took a lot of self-restraint and some wonderful play-acting, but to keep from taking her down, Jack relied on his every-ready safety net: his guise of being half-mad. "A wedding. I love weddings!" Jack told the sailor to his left. He gestured wildly to indicate the whole boat. "Drinks all around!"  
  
The Commodore shifted, straightening as he turned, and Jack gave a slightly wry grin. "I know," he said. "'Clap him in irons,' right?"  
  
James started down the steps, and Jack's heart fell when he realized that the wench's ploy had worked. True, Jack himself didn't want the boy, Will, to be killed, but this was underhanded and cruel. And she was doing this to the man who had been his brother since they were five.  
  
"Mr. Sparrow," James said in his typical manner, that of a man born to be an officer, "you will accompany these fine men to the helm and provide us with the bearing to Isla de Muerta. You will then spend the rest of the voyage contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave.'" Yes, Jack decided. James had been born to be an officer. And he hadn't been there to see him rise through the ranks. For one of the few times in his life, Jack regretted his decision to leave. "Do I make myself clear?"  
  
"Inescapably clear." Before he had a chance to think up anything else to say, let alone actually say it, the two sailors grabbed him and he was propelled off to the helm. But he kept his ears bent the conversation below him.  
  
"Commodore, I must question the wisdom of this."  
  
Jack scowled inwardly. Somewhere inside he knew that the Governor had a point, but that didn't mean that it didn't gall him to hear the pompous old man questioning his brother.  
  
"Governor, with all do respect," James said as Jack was shifting to see the conversation as well as hear it. "Mr. Turner is a subject of the British Crown and therefore under my protection."  
  
Ah, so perhaps it hadn't entirely been Elizabeth's ploy that made him want to do this. That was the large majority of it, surely, but that damned responsibility that James had always had was tugging at him again. He couldn't in good conscience let the boy be killed when all Will had tried to do was save the woman they were both in love with.  
  
Swann shifted slightly, showing that he thought that James' words weren't entirely true. He gave a very fake looking small smile and nodded. "Rightly so." He looked over at his daughter, then back to the Commodore. "Take care of her," he said, then left. James looked down, as if composing himself; Elizabeth hadn't raised her eyes from the deck for some time.  
  
James was, of course, the first one to gain a grip on himself. He offered his arm. "Elizabeth?"  
  
She took his arm, and they proceeded toward the rail. Oddly, James looked down again - even when they were young, this had been uncharacteristic. He had always confronted the world full-faced, despite all. It was then that Jack realized that James knew that this was all probably just a ploy made by Elizabeth. He looked up again, but was watching the ocean, as if the water were enough to stabilize him. Apparently it was, though he was still hesitant when he spoke.  
  
"I'm concerned that your answer was, perhaps..." He strove to find the words as Jack watched his profile. "Less than sincere," James finished, facing Elizabeth once more and presenting Jack with a wonderful view of the back of his head.  
  
"I would not give my word lightly."  
  
That was all she could say?  
  
"Yes, I understand."  
  
Of course he would understand. When it came to one's word and promises, James was an expert, as he was such a stickler for keeping his own word and promises.  
  
"But is it so wrong that I should want it given unconditionally?"  
  
It was then that the true impact of Elizabeth's lack of sincerity was revealed to Jack.   
  
"It is not a condition, it is a request." Jack wanted to hit her, honestly. Yes, it was a request, but she had manipulated James in order to have that request fulfilled! Perhaps in explanation, she added, "Your answer would not change mine."  
  
No, Jack thought, It wouldn't. Simply because you don't want to be lonely if Will does die, but you want to at least attempt to save him, so you toy with the heart of an innocent man.  
  
"You're a fine man, James."  
  
But you don't love him, Jack added. You'll only end up hurting him.  
  
It was a moment before James said anything. "Well," was the best he could come up with. He looked out to the ocean again. "Very well."  
  
Jack saw the hope that, perhaps, she could learn to love him in James' profile. The pirate's head drooped, hiding his pained expression: James had just signed his own warrant for heartbreak. He looked back up as James looked back to Elizabeth.  
  
"Excellent."  
  
The wench's smile was very fake. Perhaps even James saw this, because he glanced down once again, then said, "Lievtenant Gillette will help you to find something a bit more... suitable, to wear. If you will excuse me?"  
  
Elizabeth nodded, and James, who had become Commodore James A. Norrington of the British Royal Navy once more, came to the helm. "Are we under way?"  
  
"No, sir," the helmsman said. "We've yet to be given the bearings."  
  
"Do we have problems, Mr. Sparrow?" the Commodore asked.  
  
Jack shifted from concerned brother to disowned pirate once more. "I'll tell one of you, no more. I've got a reputation to maintain, darling, don't forget."  
  
Norrington pursed his lips slightly before grabbing Jack's arm and hauling him over to the rail. "Tell," he said shortly. "I would prefer to get this done as swiftly as possible, thank you."  
  
Jack gave up the bearings, and even gave the Commodore his compass to use. But all the while he couldn't help but hope that James would get through the mess Elizabeth had made unscathed. He knew that wasn't possible, but he could still hope.  
  
He only wanted the best for James; even if they weren't brothers by blood, they were still brothers.  
  
* 


End file.
